Whelped in Germany in 1994, Dolly was chosen by Wisconsinites George and Cathy Markos when they spied her as a young adult guarding a soccer ball from her boisterous litter of puppies. The Markoses were looking for possible candidates for police training in the United States. Dolly*s tenacity and single-minded sense of purpose were so impressive that instead of purchasing one of her puppies, they purchased Dolly herself.
As Cathy tells it, Dolly "will climb any mountain, swim any river, or dig to China to get her toy."
The confidence that Dolly inspired came to fruition when Cathy began training Dolly for police work, specifically narcotics detection. Now ranking as a sergeant in the LaCrosse, Wis., police department, the remarkable Dolly has a 96-to-98 percent "find" rate. She is a certified narcotics-detector dog, and is also a certified police tracker and evidence-search dog.
<<< Cathy Marcos and Dolly pose with the test judges following their successful qualification
At the end of her first three-month police training program, Dolly went to live at the home of her handler, Officer Marion Byerson, his wife Caryn, their cat, and a retired German Shepherd Dog. Dolly has already achieved a reputation as "the K-9 to call" when the department wants a sure bust. She has made many finds of cocaine, crack cocaine, morphine, marijuana and methamphetamines.
Recently, Dolly detected a Somalian drug that was previously unseen in the LaCrosse community --- 65 plants of this substance were found by Dolly when she was asked to check suspicious packages at a bus depot. On another occasion, the police had detained a female driver who was a suspected drug dealer. She was informed that Dolly would be checking for drugs both in the car and on her person. Very nervous and uncomfortable at the mere sight of Dolly, the dealer confessed to concealing drugs in a body cavity.
<<< Dolly scratches at the bumper to indicate she has found drugs hidden there
Although Dolly is not a patrol dog, she is occasionally put into dangerous situations. Her presence is required on the scene if a house has been entered by police and drug identification is needed. On one such bust, Dolly found herself nose-to-nose with several pit bulls that were in a bedroom the police had not yet searched. Before the door could be slammed shut, Dolly had stood her ground and showed her handler that she was ready to defend and protect him against all comers.
When not involved in such dramatic confrontations, Dolly lives the life of a couch potato. But she does get out; she is often used in drug awareness programs at local schools. In typical Boxer fashion, Dolly loves interacting with children. Not only is her professional career distinguished, but Dolly has also delivered two litters in the United States. Two of her daughters, Abby and Elke, will likely join their mother on the police force.
<<< Cathy plays tug-of-war with Dolly after a training session. The toy has been impregnated with the scent of cocaine, and Dolly's reward for finding it is playing with her handler.
Indeed, Dolly has been such a success, and her temperament has been so tractable, that police departments in other states are expressing an interest in the Boxer for law enforcement work.
Perhaps we shall one day hear the song, "Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do when the Boxer's after you?"
Stephanie Abraham
P. O. Box 346
Scotland, CT 06264
